II SAMUEL 23:8-17 | THESE MIGHTY MEN

THESE MIGHTY MEN

II SAMUEL 23:8-17

MAY 29, 2016

THOSE OF YOU WHO ATTEND SERVICES HERE REGULARLY WILL REMEMBER THAT BACK ON THE SUNDAY BEFORE MOTHER’S DAY I PREACHED A SERMON ENTITLED: THESE AMAZING WOMEN.

THE SERMON WAS INTENDED AS A TRIBUTE NOT ONLY TO THE AMAZING WOMEN IN MY LIFE, BUT IN ALL OUR LIVES.

I BEGAN BY TALKING ABOUT SOME OF THE AMAZING, BUT MOSTLY FORGOTTEN WOMEN OF THE BIBLE, AND THEN TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THE AMAZING WOMEN OF TODAY, WHO, DESPITE GREAT ODDS AT TIMES, CONTINUE TO FIGHT FOR WHAT IS RIGHT.

AND I SAID THAT THESE AMAZING WOMEN DESERVE BETTER THAN THEY OFTEN GET FROM THE WORLD.

SO THIS MORNING I AM TALKING ABOUT THESE AMAZING MEN, AND JUST LIKE THE PREVIOUS SERMON ABOUT WOMEN WASN’T FOR OR JUST ABOUT WOMEN, THIS SERMON IS NOT FOR OR JUST ABOUT MEN;

IT’S JUST THAT MOST OF THE FEATURED CHARACTERS IN THIS SERMON FOR THIS MORNING ARE MEN.

IN PARTICULAR, THREE OF KING DAVID’S MEN.

AFTER STRUGGLING THROUGH THEIR NAMES WHEN I READ THIS MORNING’S SCRIPTURE LESSON, I’LL NOT TRY TO REPEAT THEIR NAMES HERE, BUT RATHER, SIMPLY REFER TO THEM AS DAVID’S GREAT MEN.

ALL THREE WERE WARRIORS.  ALL THREE WERE OFFICERS IN KING DAVID’S ISRAELI ARMY.  ALL THREE HELPED DAVID DEFEAT THEIR ARCH-ENEMY THE PHILISTINES, AND THEIR NAMES APPEAR ELSEWHERE IN SCRIPTURE, AND IN OTHER BATTLES, AND WITH OTHER GREAT SUCCESSES ON THE BATTLEFIELD.

AGAIN, I WILL NOT RECOUNT THEIR GREAT VICTORIES, HAVING READ OF THEM WHEN READING THIS MORNING’S SCRIPTURE LESSON; AND BESIDES, IT’S NOT THAT PART OF THEIR STORY I WANT TO FOCUS ON ANYWAY.

INSTEAD, I WANT US TO FOCUS ON WHAT HAPPENED ONE DAY AFTER ONE OF THEIR GREAT BATTLES, AND ON THEIR LOYALTY TO, AND GREAT AFFECTION FOR, THEIR COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF, KING DAVID.

THE BATTLE IS DONE FOR THE DAY; DAVID IS IN THE STRONGHOLD (THAT IS, IN HIS FORTIFIED ENCAMPMENT); AND WHILE THE BATTLE WAS OVER, THE WAR WAS NOT.

THE PHILISTINES STILL HELD BETHLEHEM, THE CITY OF DAVID’S BIRTH.

WHICH, BY THE WAY, WE ALWAYS MENTION WITH REGARD TO THE BIRTH OF JESUS, AS IT WAS HIS HOMETOWN TOO, AND THAT OF HIS FATHER JOSEPH, WHO WE WILL REMEMBER RETURNED THERE AT THE TIME OF THE CENSUS AND IT WAS THEN THAT MARY CAME TO BE DELIVERED.

ANYWAY, DAVID IS REMINISCING WITH THESE THREE WARRIORS, THESE THREE GENERALS, THESE THREE FRIENDS, ABOUT GROWING UP IN BETHLEHEM, (REMEMBER – NOW OCCUPIED BY THE PHILISTINES) WHEN SUDDENLY HE REMEMBERS A PARTICULAR WELL IN THE CITY, WITH PARTICULARLY GOOD WATER.

VERSE 15 OF OUR PASSAGE FOR THIS MORNING: “DAVID SAID LONGINGLY, ‘O THAT SOMEONE WOULD GIVE ME WATER TO DRINK FROM THE WELL OF BETHLEHEM THAT IS BY THE GATE!’”

PERHAPS IT WAS JUST WISHFUL THINKING.  MAYBE A REMINISCENCE OF A BETTER TIME.  A LONGING FOR HOME.  MAYBE EVEN TINGED WITH ANGER AND RESENTMENT THAT THE ENEMY NOW OCCUPIED HIS HOMETOWN.

WHAT II SAMUEL TELLS US HAPPENS NEXT IS THAT THESE THREE MIGHTY WARRIORS, THESE THREE GENERALS, THESE THREE FRIENDS OF THE KING, BREAK THROUGH ENEMY LINES; DRAW WATER FROM THE WELL DAVID HAD BEEN REMEMBERING; FIGHT THEIR WAY BACK TO THEIR OWN ENCAMPMENT; AND PRESENT THE WATER TO THEIR KING AND FRIEND.

WHAT DAVID DID NEXT MIGHT SURPRISE US; ASTOUND US; EVEN DISAPPOINT US, IN A WAY; BUT DAVID REFUSES TO DRINK THE WATER; INSTEAD, POURING IT OUT AS AN OFFERING TO THE LORD.

“GOD FORBID THAT I SHOULD DRINK THIS.  CAN I DRINK THE BLOOD OF THE MEN WHO WENT TO RISK THEIR LIVES?”

DAVID UNDERSTOOD WHAT THE MEN HAD DONE.  HE KNEW THE DANGER.  HE KNEW WHAT THEY HAD RISKED IN GETTING HIM THE WATER;

AND HE WOULD NOT CHEAPEN THEIR SACRIFICE BY SELFISHLY INDULGING HIMSELF ON THE WATER/THE BLOOD OF HIS MEN.

SO HE POURED OUT THE WATER AS AN OFFERING TO ALMIGHTY GOD.

TOMORROW IS OFFICIALLY DESIGNATED AS A HOLIDAY MARKED IN MANY COMMUNITIES BY A VARIETY OF SOLEMN OBSERVANCES.

ALL ACROSS OUR NATION PEOPLE WILL GATHER IN PARKS AND CEMETERIES TO COMMEMORATE WHAT THIS DAY SYMBOLIZES.

BANDS WILL PLAY, SPEECHES WILL BE GIVEN, PRAYERS WILL BE OFFERED UP TO GOD, “TAPS” WILL BE PLAYED, AND GUNS FIRED IN SALUTE TO THOSE WHOM OUR NATION REMEMBERS ON THIS DAY.

FROM VALLEY FORGE TO GETTYSBURG, FROM SAN JUAN HILL TO THE NORMANDY SHORES, FROM SEOUL TO SAIGON, AND IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN, THE BLOOD OF AMERICAN SOLDIERS IS PERMANENTLY MINGLED WITH THE SOIL OF THESE PLACES.

AND MEMORIAL DAY IS OUR FEEBLE ATTEMPT TO REMEMBER AND TO SAY “THANK YOU” TO THOSE WHO GAVE THEIR BEST; SOME WHO GAVE THEIR ALL; THAT WE MIGHT CONTINUE TO ENJOY THE LIBERTIES THAT ARE OURS.

AS YOU MAY KNOW, OUR PRESENT COMMEMORATION OF THIS DAY CAME OUT OF THE CIVIL WAR.  IN 1865, SHORTLY AFTER THE CLOSE OF THE WAR, SOME WOMEN IN VICKSBURG, MISSISSIPPI CHOSE MAY 30^TH AS A DAY TO PLACE FLOWERS UPON THE GRAVES OF THEIR WAR DEAD.

THE PRACTICE OF CHOOSING A SPECIAL DAY TO DECORATE THE GRAVES OF THE WAR DEAD SOON SPREAD FROM SOUTH TO NORTH, AND IT CAME TO BE KNOWN AS “DECORATION DAY.”

IN 1868, A GROUP OF WOMEN IN WASHINGTON, D.C. ASKED PERMISSION OF THE WAR DEPARTMENT TO DECORATE THE GRAVES AT ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY, AND TO BE ALLOWED TO HAVE A SPECIAL MEMORIAL SERVICE TO MARK THE OCCASION.

AFTER A LOT OF DISCUSSION, PERMISSION WAS GRANTED, BUT THE OFFICIALS ATTACHED A HARSH PROVISION: NO FLOWERS WERE TO BE PLACED ON THE GRAVES OF THE CONFEDERATE SOLDIERS WHO WERE BURIED IN A SEPARATE SECTION OF THE CEMETERY.

THE LADIES AGREED AND PLANNED THEIR PROGRAM.  GENERAL JAMES GARFIELD, A DEVOUT CHRISTIAN, WHO LATER BECAME PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, DELIVERED THE MEMORIAL SPEECH.

AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH THEIR AGREEMENT, THE FLOWERS WERE PLACED ONLY ON THE GRAVES OF THE UNION DEAD AND NOT ON THE GRAVES OF THE CONFEDERATE SECTION.

BUT AFTER THE CROWDS WERE GONE, A STRONG WIND AROSE, AND BLEW ALMOST ALL OF THE FLOWERS OVER ONTO THE CONFEDERATE GRAVES.

WHEN THAT BECAME KNOWN, MANY PEOPLE BELIEVED IT WAS A DIRECT RESULT OF GOD’S INTERVENTION.  AFTER THAT, THE ORDER TO IGNORE THE CONFEDERATE GRAVES WAS NEVER REPEATED.

POET, JOURNALIST, JAMES RYDER RANDALL WAS THE FIRST TO TELL THIS STORY.  YOU CAN READ ABOUT IT IN HIS POEM, “AT ARLINGTON”.

NOW WE CALL IT MEMORIAL DAY, AND IT IS OBSERVED AS A DAY TO HONOR THE FALLEN IN OUR NATION’S WARS; A TIME WHEN OUR COUNTRY PAUSES TO REMEMBER THOSE WHO MADE THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE FOR THE FREEDOMS WE ALL ENJOY.

WE OWE THEM, AND ALL WHO SERVED WITH THEM, FAR MORE THAN WE WILL EVER REALIZE, AND LIKE KING DAVID, SHOULD POUR OUT THEIR SACRIFICE AS AN OFFERING TO GOD.

WITH MEMORIAL DAY UPON US IT IS PROPER TO THINK OF THE PAST AND THOSE WHO HAVE GONE FROM THIS WORLD.  BUT FOR THOSE OF US WHO ARE CHRISTIANS, THIS IS NOT EXCLUSIVELY AN EXERCISE IN LOOKING BACK AND DWELLING UPON WHAT HAS BEEN.

FOR WE BELIEVE THAT MORE WONDROUS THINGS ARE YET TO COME FOR THOSE PEOPLE OF FAITH, AND THOSE WHO HAVE DIED ALREADY.

WE LIVE IN THE LIGHT OF THE RESURRECTION AND WE BELIEVE THAT DEATH WILL NOT BE THE END.

FOR THE SACRIFICE OF THOSE WHO DIED PRESERVING OUR FREEDOMS AND THE FREEDOM OF OTHERS AROUND THE WORLD TO REALLY MATTER, TO AMOUNT TO SOMETHING –

WE MUST LIVE OUR LIVES AS INDIVIDUALS, AND AS A NATION, IN SUCH A WAY THAT IT REFLECTS OUR GRATITUDE FOR, AND COMMITMENT TO, WHAT HAS BEEN DONE FOR US.

(I’LL BE SAYING MORE ABOUT THIS WHEN JULY 4^TH ROLLS AROUND.)

THE BEST WAY FOR US TO HONOR THE DEATHS OF THOSE WHO HAVE GONE BEFORE US IS TO LIVE OUR LIVES THE BEST WE CAN; AND FOR US AS A NATION TO BE THE BEST NATION WE CAN BE.

WE ARE TO POUR OUT THEIR SACRIFICE FOR US, AND OUR OWN LIVES, AS AN OFFERING TO ALMIGHTY GOD.

ONE OF MY FAVORITE STORIES OF ONE OF THOSE WAR HEROES WE WILL BE HONORING AND REMEMBERING TOMORROW HAS LESS TO DO WITH THE BATTLES THEY FOUGHT, AND WON, THAN IT DOES WITH THE AFTER STORY.

SORT OF LIKE OUR PASSAGE FOR THIS MORNING.

I REMEMBER HEARING THIS PARTICULAR STORY FOR THE FIRST TIME AS ONE OF PAUL HARVEY’S – “THE REST OF THE STORY” PIECES.

I THINK IT PARTICULARLY CAUGHT MY INTEREST BECAUSE IT TOOK PLACE IN MY HOME STATE OF FLORIDA (LIKE DAVID’S CITY OF BETHLEHEM).

“IT’S GRATITUDE THAT PROMPTED THE OLD MAN TO VISIT AN OLD BROKEN DOWN PIER ON THE EASTERN SEACOAST OF FLORIDA.

EVERY FRIDAY NIGHT, UNTIL HIS DEATH IN 1973, HE WOULD RETURN, WALKING SLOWLY AND SLIGHTLY STOOPED WITH A LARGE BUCKET OF SHRIMP.

THE SEA GULLS WOULD FLOCK TO THIS OLD MAN, AND HE WOULD FEED THEM FROM HIS BUCKET.

MANY YEARS BEFORE, IN OCTOBER, 1942, CAPTAIN EDDIE RICKENBACKER WAS ON A MISSION IN A B-17 TO DELIVER AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE TO GENERAL DOUGLAS MACARTHUR IN NEW GUINEA.

BUT THERE WAS AN UNEXPECTED DETOUR WHICH WOULD HURL CAPTAIN EDDIE INTO THE MOST HARROWING ADVENTURE OF HIS LIFE.

SOMEWHERE OVER THE SOUTH PACIFIC THE FLYING FORTRESS BECAME LOST BEYOND THE REACH OF RADIO.  FUEL RAN DANGEROUSLY LOW, SO THE MEN DITCHED THEIR PLANE IN THE OCEAN.

FOR NEARLY A MONTH CAPTAIN EDDIE AND HIS COMPANIONS WOULD FIGHT THE WATER, THE WEATHER, AND THE SCORCHING SUN.

THEY SPENT MANY SLEEPLESS NIGHTS RECOILING AS GIANT SHARKS RAMMED THEIR RAFTS.  THE LARGEST RAFT WAS NINE BY FIVE.  THE BIGGEST SHARK…TEN FEET LONG.

BUT OF ALL THEIR ENEMIES AT SEA, ONE PROVED MOST FORMIDABLE: STARVATION.

EIGHT DAYS OUT, THEIR RATIONS WERE LONG GONE OR DESTROYED BY THE SALT WATER.  IT WOULD TAKE A MIRACLE TO SUSTAIN THEM.  AND A MIRACLE OCCURRED.

IN CAPTAIN EDDIE’S OWN WORDS: “CHERRY,” THAT WAS THE B- 17 PILOT, CAPTAIN WILLIAM CHERRY, ‘READ THE SERVICE THAT AFTERNOON, AND WE FINISHED WITH A PRAYER FOR DELIVERANCE AND A HYMN OF PRAISE.

THERE WAS SOME TALK, BUT IT TAPERED OFF IN THE OPPRESSIVE HEAT.  WITH MY HAT PULLED DOWN OVER MY EYES TO KEEP OUT SOME OF THE GLARE, I DOZED OFF.’

NOW THIS IS STILL CAPTAIN RICKENBACKER TALKING…

‘SOMETHING LANDED ON MY HEAD.  I KNEW THAT IT WAS A SEA GULL.  I DON’T KNOW HOW I KNEW, I JUST KNEW.  EVERYONE ELSE KNEW TOO.

NO ONE SAID A WORD, BUT PEERING OUT FROM UNDER MY HAT BRIM WITHOUT MOVING MY HEAD, I COULD SEE THE EXPRESSION ON THEIR FACES.  THEY WERE STARING AT THAT GULL.  THE GULL MEANT FOOD…IF I COULD CATCH IT.’

AND THE REST, AS THEY SAY, IS HISTORY.

CAPTAIN EDDIE CAUGHT THE GULL.  ITS FLESH WAS EATEN.  ITS INTESTINES WERE USED FOR BAIT TO CATCH FISH.

THE SURVIVORS WERE SUSTAINED AND THEIR HOPES RENEWED BECAUSE A LONE SEA GULL, UNCHARACTERISTICALLY HUNDREDS OF MILES FROM LAND, OFFERED ITSELF AS A SACRIFICE.

YOU KNOW THAT CAPTAIN EDDIE MADE IT.

AND NOW YOU ALSO KNOW…THAT HE NEVER FORGOT.

BECAUSE EVERY FRIDAY EVENING, ABOUT SUNSET…ON A LONELY STRETCH ALONG THE EASTERN FLORIDA SEACOAST…YOU COULD SEE AN OLD MAN WALKING…WHITE-HAIRED, BUSHY-EYE BROWED, SLIGHTLY BENT.

HIS BUCKET FILLED WITH SHRIMP WAS TO FEED THE GULLS…

TO REMEMBER THAT ONE WHICH, ON A DAY LONG PAST, GAVE ITSELF WITHOUT A STRUGGLE… LIKE MANNA IN THE WILDERNESS.”

IT IS HOW WE LIVE OUR LIVES – IN GRATITUDE AND APPRECIATION FOR WHAT OTHERS HAVE SACRIFICED FOR US TO BE HERE, TO LIVE FREE, TO ENJOY LIFE, THAT IS OUR BEST WAY OF REMEMBERING AND HONORING THESE AMAZING MEN… AND WOMEN.

LET US POUR OUT THEIR SACRIFICE, AND OUR LIVES, AS AN OFFERING TO GOD.